Because if Wiltjer had the capacity to change his body, why’d he look almost exactly the same as a college sophomore as he did as a high school junior? What had he been doing with all of that time, with all the access to equipment and strength training and nutrition that UK provides?

The Kentucky roster for the 2012-13 season listed him at 6-10, 239 pounds, a little less than 15 pounds heavier than his high school playing weight. He must have put the extra pounds in his feet, because they were not visible in his chest, arms or thighs.

That lack of physical progress certainly diminished his performance as a sophomore. He averaged only 4.2 rebounds in 24 minutes per game. He was one of Kentucky’s most obvious liabilities on defense, consistently getting himself out of position in pick-and-roll situations and giving up straight-line drives as a result. He shot only 48.4 percent on 2-point field goals, indicative of his struggle to finish around the rim.

There also was an overreaction in the opposite direction, with some suggesting Kentucky was losing another element of veteran leadership and a key 3-point threat.

The 2013-14 Kentucky Wildcats do not need Wiltjer to be a championship contender. Most of the minutes at the power forward position were consumed the moment Julius Randle committed to the Wildcats in March. The Wildcats also have sophomore Alex Poythress, who likely will start at small forward but might be most comfortable at the “4” spot and easily could slide there when Randle needs a break.

They won’t miss Wiltjer’s leadership, because it’s virtually impossible to lead when you are not a significant player. If experience were all that was required, fifth-year senior Jon Hood provides an excellent example of character and perseverance. But Hood plays a small role on the floor. Wiltjer’s would have been larger, but not enough that he could have provided for this team what Darius Miller did for the 2011-12 NCAA champions. Miller practically was a sixth starter, getting only three fewer minutes per game than forward Terrence Jones.

There would not have been 26 minutes per game available to Wiltjer. He is a terrific 3-point shooter, but it’s impossible to make shots from the bench. The playing time that would have been his this winter is likely to wind up spent on freshman James Young, who ought to be capable of shooting in the 36 percent range from long distance.

As Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk showed in progressing from talented young reserve to All-American veteran, there can be considerable value in taking a full year during college to work on physical and skill development as Wiltjer is likely to do after transferring. Football programs do this routinely with even the most promising prospects, but it’s a far less established practice in basketball.

Players in basketball occasionally have benefitted from a year of development after transferring, but even that practice is diminishing as the NCAA more freely grants waivers to compete immediately, occasionally for dubious reasons.

It is true Wiltjer could have taken a year off at Kentucky knowing that Randle will not be around in 2013-14, redshirting for the sake of “changing” his body and emerging as a dramatically improved power forward a year down the road.

However, it’s also possible Marcus Lee will continue his rapid ascent and be difficult to beat out in October 2014, or that Calipari will do again what Calipari always does, which is to land another loaded crop of recruits who will make it nearly impossible for even an enhanced Wiltjer to find himself again playing regular minutes.

Wiltjer obviously has not made this decision rashly. He thought about it following this past season and assured Kentucky he would stay, then reconsidered after some time playing national-team ball in Canada. If he follows through now and completes the transfer, though, how he spends the next 12 months will be the most essential element of the transaction.

When Calipari said, “Body’s got to change,” he didn’t mean just for the sake of the Kentucky Wildcats. Wiltjer’s got to do it for himself.